Angie Thomas

Literature births activists.

— Angie Thomas

Art is activism.

— Angie Thomas

Writing is a form of activism.

— Angie Thomas

“Hoedom is universal.”

— Angie Thomas

“The hospital fired her ’cause she was sick.”

— Angie Thomas

“empathy is more powerful than sympathy”

— Angie Thomas

“Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak.”

— Angie Thomas

I want you to realize your voice matters.

— Angie Thomas

“I don't have to wait around for her to change. I can let go.”

— Angie Thomas

“A hairbrush. Khalil died over a fucking hairbrush.”

— Angie Thomas

“They didn't mention that he was unarmed.”

— Angie Thomas

“For real?” I say what I’m supposed to.”

— Angie Thomas

I've always been a huge Tupac fan, and I often listen to him for inspiration or when I'm stuck.

— Angie Thomas

“Doubt those bullets were meant for her, but bullets go where they wanna go.”

— Angie Thomas

“Who the fuck complains about going to Harry Potter World? Or Butter Beer? Or wands?”

— Angie Thomas

“Basically, Williamson Starr doesn’t give anyone a reason to call her ghetto.”

— Angie Thomas

My maternal grandmother was a star on her high school basketball team in small-town Mississippi.

— Angie Thomas

“Whenever Momma breaks a name down like that, you better hope it's not yours.”

— Angie Thomas

I wrote 'The Hate U Give' as a short story while I was in college at a mostly white school in conservative…

— Angie Thomas

“Slave masters thought they were making a difference in black people’s lives too. Saving them from their “wild African ways.”

— Angie Thomas

The Hogwarts houses are really gangs. They have their own colours, their own hideouts, and they are always riding for each other,…

— Angie Thomas

“DeVante. Khalil. Neither one of them thought they had much of a choice. If I were them, I’m not sure I’d make…

— Angie Thomas

“Momma had told me, “See, she looks asleep,” but when I squeezed her hand, her eyes never opened. Daddy carried me out…

— Angie Thomas

I think that the more of us who take the time to understand how someone else is feeling, the more likely we…

— Angie Thomas

I wish when I was 15 that I realized my voice was important and that even my thoughts and my opinions had…

— Angie Thomas

“Daddy once told me there's a rage passed down to every black man from his ancestors, born the moment they couldn't stop…

— Angie Thomas

I wanted to write a book like a rapper would write it - I didn't want to hold back. Rappers catch a…

— Angie Thomas

We see organizations that target young black men to give them direction in life, but so often, black girls are missed. I…

— Angie Thomas

“Even if he was, I knew that boy. Watched him grow up with you. He was more than any bad decision he…

— Angie Thomas

I really do hope 'The Hate U Give' provides mirrors for readers who don't often get them in books. I've had so…

— Angie Thomas

“One of my biggest influences as a writer is J. K. Rowling . I grew up with Harry Potter. One thing I…

— Angie Thomas

“The black officer checks Daddy while his partner glances around at all of the onlookers. There's quite a few of us now.…

— Angie Thomas

“When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me. One was the usual birds and bees. Well, I didn't really…

— Angie Thomas

“Pac said Thug Life stood for ‘The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody.’” I raise my eyebrows. “What?” “Listen! The Hate…

— Angie Thomas

The transition from unknown to known-in-publishing has been empowering but also challenging. It's an honor to know that people actually want to…

— Angie Thomas

“Now, think ’bout this,” he says. “How did the drugs even get in our neighborhood? This is a multibillion-dollar industry we talking…

— Angie Thomas

“God gave you a brain. You don't need theirs.”

— Angie Thomas

“Man, you ain't white. You light-skinned.”

— Angie Thomas

Representation makes a difference.

— Angie Thomas

“Khalil died over a fucking hairbrush.”

— Angie Thomas